Curated by Kenny Schachter, the show focuses on works on paper that represent poetic comments of ideal cosmologies as well as traces of immeasurable notions of what an image could be. Installative and lost works, works in progress and mental projects of artists - among whom the most talented and progressive of their generation – have found their expression in images of almost classical simplicity which at the same time challenge traditional methods of interpreting art to the fullest.

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"Works on paper for me have always had an intimate quality, more like reading than other forms of art making. They provide a real glimpse into the mind of the artist at work. In presenting the work of 9 artists from the 1960s to the present, I take a much more expansive view of what constitutes a work on paper.

"The selection goes far beyond drawings or sketches to include photos by Vito Acconci, Dennis Oppenheim and Peter Hujar, paper constructions by the conceptual architect and artist Zaha Hadid, and encompassing landscapes by Paul Thek and Richard Artschwager, text drawings by Pope.L, abstractions by Yayoi Kusama, and instructions for sculptures by Chris Burden. All in all the works on display provide a snapshot into the means and methods of a group of the most talented artists of their respective generations.

"A pleasure to behold in and of themselves, these pieces are on a scale more human and accessible than much of today’s overblown artistic productions we are habitually bombarded with. It’s not about heroics or masterpieces, but about the pleasure to be derived from the connoisseur’s appreciation of something special.

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"Hadid is a forerunner to the quotidian in today’s language of contemporary architecture. Before the advent of computers, her notions for building designs for today and the future began as abstractions on canvas and paper with obvious references to Russian constructivism, vorticism and futurism.

"This was no passing quote from past genres but a knowing absorption of historic art movements whose ambitions clearly pointed beyond the scope of the canvas. Hadid’s vision was so complex and light-years ahead of her time that people could not even relate or understand the levels of abstraction, which in her mind must have seemed as plain as daylight.

"Here she presents a new body of work made specifically for the show that uses paper in a relief-like fashion, resulting in a three dimensional drawing with no marks and a way of turning origami into a hyper progressive form of art and design."

oh god, im so fucking tired of Zaha Hadid. Now i know using her work is the politically correct thing to do, but come on, how many ugly designs is one former IRAQI WOMAN ARCHITECT capable of. I wish the fad would die already.

gary

I would not even wipe my ass with these models.

Mattia

What’s with all the hating? These works definitely push the medium in a new direction, enitrely separate from any questions about the quality of her architecture. However, the results from her decision to mix the two fields (and questions of physical authorship really shouldn’t come into play) are outstanding. Step away from disliking something just to go against the grain, and there’s little to argue against the quality of these works.

suvan

It’s so beautiful!how does the line so smooth?

Soupdragon

Zaha’s always been much better at abstract art than architecture. These reliefs are an ideal medium for her talent. Personally i’m not much of a fan of her architecture, but can appreciate the form and line in these works. (if you like this, check out Richard Sweeneys amazing paper sculpture on Flickr!)

Oh, and for those who ask whether Zaha made these herself, look at any artist studio through time. An artist always employs assistant to help carry out the work, many of the great paintings (especially fresco’s) were worked on by a whole studio not just the “artist”. Did Gormley make the Angel of the North all on his own???

Raymond

Zaha definitely has her own ‘signature’ when it comes to architecture. I believe she approached them like sculptures (just like Liebeskind or Gehry does)

Those three aren’t really my cup of tea.
I prefer that architects approach buildings just as ‘buildings’ which are an surplus to their invironment.

That’s probably typical Dutch LOL

Nenad Katic

Beautiful pieces of art… Which not necessarily makes a good architecture.

John

Architecture is not political, nature is not political, the philosophies share that of its “Art” counterpart in it’s dichotomy. Give her some credit. The idea of architecture in many cases is better than architecture that is built.

Ada

i love her work best, ever

cynnn

Really A M A Z I N G !

fan

Amazing stuff!
The guys who did this must be really good…
look at the precision…
GREAT

jackie

Zaha Hadid’s work is the best work of an architect that i ever seen as an architecture student. My work is influenced by her work i wish you all the best Zaha because you deserve it.i wish if i can meet her one day.